Combined knife and cap remover



P. T. CHAMPLIN ET AL 2,089,536

COMBINED KNIFE AND CAP REMOVER Filed March 17', 1956 7 71/ f 7'! Chem Olin.

J B. F. Cfiam/Jiz'n Patented Aug. 10, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE Philip T. Champlin and John B. F. Champlin, Little Valley, N. Y.

Application March 17, 1936, Serial No. 69,389

3 Claims.

This invention relates to cap removers and more particularly to an implement for lifting and removing crimped capped closures from bottles and other containers.

The object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive implement of the class described embodying in its structure a pocket knife and cap extracting member so associated and combined that the extracting member is normally housed and protected between the side plates of the pocket knife and is movable to extended or operative position for engagement with a closure cap.

A further object is to provide a cap lifter in which the bolster of the knife handle forms a fulcrum for depressing the central portion of the cap or closure when a downward pressure is exerted on the end of the knife handle, thereby to release the crimped edge of the cap from the bottle and facilitate removal of said cap.

A further object is to provide a cap remover, the lower edge of the extractor of which gradually inclines in the direction of and merges into the spring back of the pocket knife whereby to provide a smooth bearing surface at the bolster when downward pressure is exerted thereon in the act of removing a bottle cap.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efliciency.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing:

5 Figure 1 is a perspective View of the combined pocket knife and cap extractor constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the same in position on the crimped cap of a bottle, the dotted lines representing the position 40 of the parts when downward pressure is exerted on the end of the knife handle.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device showing the extracting member in open position.

45 Figure 3 is a similar view showing the extracting member in closed position.

Figure 4 is a detail side elevation showing the groove in the hooked end of the extracting member.

50 The improved cap lifter forming the subjectmatter of the present invention comprises a handle portion 5 preferably in the form of a pocket knife and including in its structure spaced side plates 6 terminating in end pieces or bolsters I.

55 Pivotally mounted at 8 between the bolsters I at one end of the knife handle is a cutting blade III, the heel of which is adapted to engage a back spring II in the usual manner for holding the blade in both extended and retracted position. Disposed at the front end of the knife handle and pivotally mounted at I2 between the adjacent bolsters I is a cap extracting member I3 having a substantially V-shaped recess 54 formed in one side thereof and defining an inwardly extending hook I5. The pivoted end of the extracting member I3 is formed with an abutment shoulder I6 which is located at the same side of the extracting member as the hook I5 and bears against the back spring II when the extractor is in an extended or operative position 15 and serves to retain the retractor in longitudinal alinement with the handle 5. One side of the hook I5 is formed with a shallow transverse groove I I adapted to receive the fingernail to assist in opening the extractor when it is desired 20 to remove a closure cap.

It will here be noted that the rear wall of the V-shaped opening I4 is inclined in the direction of the back spring I I and merges into said spring so as to form a smooth bearing surface 68 at the 25 lower surface of the forward bolster I for contact with the top of the bottle cap, indicated at I9.

In using the implement, the fingernail is inserted in the groove II and the extracting mern- 30 ber I3 swung laterally in an anti-clockwise direction on its pivot I2 until the extractor is in the extended position shown in Figure 2 of the drawing and further pivotalmovement in this direction is stopped by engagement of the shoulder I6 with the end of the back spring. The implement is then positioned over the cap I9 with the hook I5 extending beneath the crimped edge of the cap and with the heel of the extracting member I3 resting on the top of the cap near the center thereof, as best shown in Figure l of the drawing. Downward pressure in a clock wise direction is then exerted on the free end of the handle 5 which causes the forward bolster I to bear against and depress the top of the cap I9 thereby loosening the crimped edge of the cap when a further downward pressure in the clockwise direction on the free end of the handle will cause the hook I5 to tilt the cap on the neck of the bottle and permit the ready removal of the cap. In view of the fact that pressure is exerted upon the handle in a clockwise direction during removal of the cap I9 and the shoulder I6 is at the same side of the cap extracting member I3 as the hook I5, this pressure will cause the end of the back spring to be maintained in engagement with the shoulder it. Therefore, the handle and the extracting member I3 cannot have movement relative to each other about the pivot 52 during a cap removing operation and the cap will be very easily removed from the bottle.

It will, therefore, be seen that the bolster 1 by engagement with the top of the cap or closure l9 forms a fulcrum for the tool when downward pressure is exerted on the free end of the knife handle and this downward pressure not only depresses the central portion of the cap but at the same time loosens the crimped edge thereof so that the cap may be readily removed. Inasmuch as the rear wall of the recess in the extracting member 53 inclines in the direction of and merges into the back spring it, no projecting parts are presented at the fulcrum which would tendto bite into the cap and causeit to adhere to the extracting member. Furthermore, as said extracting member is normally housed between and protected by the side plates 6 of the knife handle, the knife may be conveniently carried in the pocket until ready for use. It will, furthermore, be noted that when the extractor is in extended or operative position, the upper and lower edges of the extractor fall entirely within the lines of the handle 5, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, so that the extractor is in longitudinal alinement with the handle and will permit greater leverage on the hooked end of the extractor than if the extractor were disposed at an angle to the handle of the knife.

It will, of course, be understood that the cap removers may be made in different sizes and shapes and used in connection with any style or type of pocket knife handle without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a handle including a bolster and a back spring, a cap extracting member pivotally mounted at one end on the handle at said bolster and movable in a counter-clockwise direction from an inoperative position within the handle to an extended operative position in longitudinal alinement with the handle, an abutment shoulder at one side of the pivoted end of the cap extracting member for engaging an end of the back spring and limiting movement of the cap extracting member in the counter-clockwise direction, said extracting member having a seating recess formed in the same side thereof as the shoulder and defining a hook at its free end adapted to engage the crimped edge of a bottle cap, one wall of the seating recess being inclined in the direction of and merged into the bolster and the outer face of the back spring to form a smooth bearing surface adapted to bear against the cap at approximately the center thereof and act as a fulcrum when pressure is exerted in a clockwise direction on the free end of the handle.

2. A device of the class described comprising a handle open along its front end including side plates, back spring and a bolster, a cap removing implement pivotally mounted at one end between the side plates at said bolster and movable in a counter-clockwise direction from a folded position between the side plates to an extended position'for use, said implement being provided at its pivoted end with a shoulder to engage the back spring and limit movement of the implement in the said direction, said implement having a recess formed in the same side asthe shoulder defining an inwardly extending hook adapted to engage the crimped edge of a bottle cap, one wall of the recess being inclined in the direction of the bolster to form a smooth bearing surface at the junction of said wall and bolster whereby when the device is positioned on a bottle cap, the

smooth bearing surface will bear against the capat approximately the center thereof and depress the cap when pressure in a clockwise direction is exerted on the free end of the handle.

3. A device of the, class described comprising a handle open along its front and including a bolster and a back spring, a cap removing implement pivotally mounted in the handle at said bolster for swinging movement in a counterclockwise direction from a closed position within the handle to an extended position for use, said implement having an abutment at one side for engaging an end of the back spring to brace the cap removing implement against further movement in a counter-clockwise direction, said capremoving implement being provided at the same side thereof as the abutment with a hook adapted to engage the edge of a cap and remove the cap from a bottle when pressure in a clockwise direction is exerted upon the handle, the bolster being adapted to bear against the cap at approximately the center thereof and constitute a fulcrum when pressure is applied in a clockwise direction on the free end of the handle.

PHILIP T. CHAMPLIN. JOHN B. F. CHAMPLIN. 

